Submissions

The Business Roundtable believes that policy development on climate change entered a more constructive phase in 2009. We were critical of the previous government’s ‘carbon neutrality’ ambitions because of their enormous potential adverse economic impact; the lack of an adequate regulatory impact analysis as a basis for policy; many design features of its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS); and the rushed process. Read more

The New Zealand Business Roundtable welcomes the review of the Holidays Act 2003 which is one of the most problematic areas of New Zealand employment law. We believe it needs to be substantially reformed on a first-principles basis. Read more

We regard the NZIER and Infometrics as reputable consultancy organisations. Having said that, we cannot emphasise too strongly that the NZIER/Infometrics report isnot a Regulatory Impact Statement. Read more

This submission on the Commerce Commission's 30 June 2009 Draft Report recommending the designation of mobile termination access services (incorporating mobile-to-mobile voice termination, fixed-to mobile voice termination and short-message-service termination) is made by the New Zealand Business Roundtable, an organisation comprising primarily chief executives of major New Zealand business firms. The purpose of the organisation is to contribute to the development of sound public policies that reflect overall New Zealand interests. Read more

The Local Government Forum welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill. Overall, the Forum supports the Bill's intent and recommends that it should proceed - subject to specific comments in this submission. Read more

Most business organisations are saying that now that Australia, and perhaps the United States, are planning to put a price on carbon in some way, New Zealand should do likewise. But the issue is a political one, given that all New Zealanders will ultimately bear the costs of policy action. Read more

The Business Roundtable believes New Zealand is facing grave economic problems, many of them the result of policy errors in recent years. They are both of a short-term nature due to the international crisis and longer term due to the slump in productivity growth. Read more

We see the agreement as furthering New Zealand's efforts to become an open and competitive economy with strong links to the rest of the world. Trade liberalisation policies going back some 25 years have put the country in a sound position to benefit from freer trade with China. Read more

The Business Roundtable believes that the mandate of local authorities should be more tightly constrained. As a general rule, councils should only be permitted to engage in those activities, including regulatoryactivities, that fall within the proper role of government (as opposed to the private sector) and that should be the responsibility of local rather than central government. Read more

The Business Roundtable has had reservations about the TSO from the outset and agrees it is now outdated. It fails most, if not all, tests of good public policy. Read more

Complaint to the Regulation Review Committee concerning the Order in Council of 3 March 2008 amending the Overseas Investment Regulations 2005. Read more

The Bill aims to increase ACC payments to some categories of persons. It contains a regulatory impact statement (RIS) certified by the Department of Labour that purports to make the case for these proposals. Read more

We acknowledge the government’s need to take action in the light of international developments. We have long supported broad-based price measures as the most efficient means of reducing gross or net emissions, should the case for such action be demonstrated. Read more

The Business Roundtable supports the Regulatory Responsibility Bill (Bill), with the exception of clause 11 that attempts to exclude the courts. We also make a number of suggestions for minor improvements. Read more

The Business Roundtable supports the main features of the current monetary policy framework. It was one of the few business organisations to support the Reserve Bank Act at the time it was adopted by parliament. Read more